Samsung Galaxy S26 vs Galaxy S24: Here’s why I would upgrade this year

Samsung just launched the Galaxy S26 series, and we all know what that means: is it time to upgrade, or do you hold onto what you have? It’s an especially important question for current Galaxy S series owners. While those with the Galaxy S25 or S25 Plus might not see any reason to upgrade, what about the generation prior?

In this article, I compare the Galaxy S26 to the Galaxy S24 to determine whether upgrading is worth the hassle and whether I would personally move up to the latest device.

Importantly, since the phone is brand new, I haven’t used the Galaxy S26 yet. As a result, I’ve relied on my knowledge and experience with the Samsung Galaxy series, along with the known specs for each model, to draw my conclusions.

As a hardware platform, you wouldn’t exactly refer to the Galaxy S24 as an “old device.” When we reviewed it in 2024, the only chinks in its armor were its overreliance on AI. Yes, the Galaxy S24 didn’t see many upgrades over the Galaxy S23. Charging speeds could’ve been faster, and Samsung could’ve done something new with its camera setup, but those were the only marks against the phone. We found even less wrong with the Galaxy S24 Plus, which was far more balanced specs-wise. You won’t find any problems with its daily performance, at least in terms of processing power, or software support, as Galaxy S24 owners still have five years of support to look forward to.

On the surface, the Galaxy S24 is still an excellent smartphone package, but it does lack in certain areas. So, in comes the Galaxy S26 series. Samsung’s latest top-line smartphones offer consumers the promise of new features and shiny AI-powered capabilities. The company certainly delivers in certain core areas, namely performance, endurance, and storage.

Let’s start with storage. Flagships have launched with a base 128GB of internal storage for years now, and frankly, I’m tired of it. The Galaxy S24 had this problem, as did the Galaxy S24 Plus. However, for the first time, the Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus base models come with 256 GB of storage. That seems a minor upgrade, but 100% more space to store video, photos, apps, and downloaded content is a boon for overzealous camera users.

Then there’s the chipset. US buyers are getting the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy on the two lower-tier phones, the same silicon on the Ultra model. It’s a peppy chip, and we found it to outperform similar products in its league. While early devices with the chip struggled with overheating, we’re hoping Samsung has addressed the need for adequate cooling. When within its temperature window, the silicon is rapid, and users upgrading from older Snapdragon-powered Samsungs will feel the difference. This may also be true for those purchasing the Galaxy S26 in other markets where the Exynos 2600 will power the phones. Early benchmarks suggest it’ll be a rapid piece of silicon, and considering its 2nm manufacturing process, it’s poised to be rather efficient, too.

As far as endurance goes, Samsung has also made minimal but welcome strides in battery capacity. The Galaxy S24 includes a modest 4,000mAh battery, and its successor adds an additional 300mAh. It’s unclear how much more battery life this will contribute, but paired with a potentially more efficient chipset, it could be notable. That said, the Galaxy S26 Plus sees no notable charging or battery capacity gains over the Galaxy S24 Plus. These figures remain 4,900mAh and 45W.

Of course, one of the core reasons to upgrade to a newer device is deeper software support. Samsung retains the seven-year update policy, which will see the Galaxy S26 series gain new Android versions and security patches through 2033. That’s two years more than the Galaxy S24. But, arguably, there’s another reason to snag the latest lineup: you get the newest bundle of AI features first, and the Galaxy S26 series has many new tools.

Some standout new features include Audio Eraser, which now supports YouTube and third-party apps like Netflix and Instagram. Users can use this tool to isolate voices in a video if they really want to. There’s also more powerful Finder functionality and a Screenshot Analyzer — basically Samsung’s take on Pixel Screenshots. All these features piqued my interest and will launch first on the Galaxy S26 series.

After weighing the pros and cons of each Samsung phone, do I suggest you stick with the Galaxy S24 or upgrade to the Galaxy S26? If I were in your shoes, I do believe making the leap is worth it, but only if you’re going to use all of the new phone’s features and performance.

The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 should make gaming experiences much smoother. You’ll also get a taste of Samsung’s new Galaxy AI features before other products in the range. Then there’s the battery bump. Although I would’ve liked Samsung to focus a little more on endurance, an extra 300mAh in the tank without a considerable weight penalty is always welcome. And finally, the presence of 256GB storage in the base option is a move I’ve been calling for for years. I will never criticize a company for offering consumers more storage from the get-go.

However, there is a caveat: 256GB of storage means the Galaxy S26 will be more expensive than the Galaxy S25 at launch — $100 more, to be exact. Is this a problem? Potentially. At $899, the Galaxy S26 is perilously close to the four-digit price range once reserved for the Galaxy S Ultra models. But, when considering the upgrades as a package rather than just the storage increase, I see it as a minor extra fee for the new phone.

I do want to stress that the Galaxy S24 remains a solid package with plenty of life left in the tank. Owners can look forward to five years of upgrades and updates, while the hardware itself is anything but slow and outdated. If you don’t see the value in any of the Galaxy S26’s features, then hang on to what you know.